2015.08.16 - Ballroom Blitz
Washington - Highway 110 '' Highway 110 is a twisting, curving road with little to see along most of it save trees. Trees and drainage ditches along both sides of the road to deal with the copious amounts of rain the region gets nearly year round. Serving as the main route between the La Push indian reservation and the town of Forks Washington it gets some traffic. But is still fairly desolate and wild compared to roads closer to Forks and Seattle. The small La Push airport is located along the highway, which manages to cross all three of the main rivers in the region along the way to the coast.'' '' Though not well known to the vast majority of the locales. The boarder between the La Push werewolf pack, and the territory of the Cullen vampire coven crosses a point along highway 110. With a stretch of it acting as something of a neutral zone for them both. Small businesses, bars, and the occasional country store or craft stall appear randomly along its length pedaling trinkets to tourists heading to the beaches of the reservation.'' '' '' The last few days have been, well they have been insane. Jason Christopher of the House of Lupus came to the Indian reservation La Push to find an army. Instead he found, something. Something he could hardly find the words for because they would need to be things like companionship and friendship and various other ships he had long put behind him and forgot about. Then at about the point he realized he couldn't go through with it, opportunity knocked! He found ANOTHER young wolf pack to use...and found more 'ships' instead. It was around the time he saw Ethan Carver's memories that he knew on some deep seated level that Talia Hale had been right all those years ago, and he was an idiot. His father was insane, he had an excuse of a sort for his behavior. Jason wasn’t, and he had been willing for a time to throw away the lives of the very people he was supposed to be trying to protect! The guilt over that ate at him inside, like a wolf. His own sense of honor required he tell them. There was a lot that needed to be brought out in the open, including introducing Ethan Carver to Jacob Black and the other Quileutes. To the best of his knowledge the Indian teens didn't even know other types of werewolves existed. So, that was going to be a conversation he wanted to ease into as well. Then there was the other thing. The thing nobody knew yet. He would do as he said, he would train them. Then no matter what the cost he WOULD destroy his father's army, alone. He had been a lone wolf for centuries. One would suffice. The trip to La Push from California was a long one, especially by car. Which was much slower than paws. But it had given Jason time to bond a little further with Ethan along the way. He had exchanged several text messages with an increasingly anxious Jacob, and was looking forward to seeing him again as well. In fact the closer he got, the more that feeling welled up inside of him. Much more so than he really understood at the moment, or even cared to try. Derek Hale was not the only one that avoided emotions like it was wolfs bane. The windows are down in the car, and Jason can already catch the scent of Quileute territory. But another scent catches his senses as well. Cold Ones. And far too damn close to be any of the Cullens. His grip tightens on the wheel. Jacob was going to meet him somewhere along Highway 110. If HE was closer and smelled that scent also. He would unquestionably go after them himself or with whoever was with him. With that very simple realization, Jason Christopher presses the accelerator to the floor. Ethan Carver has his seat pushed back as far as it will go, so he can prop his feet on the dashboard. Fiddling with his smartphone, he looks bored out of his mind. "Trees, trees, mountain, trees. This is the single most boring road trip every. You realize that, don't you? And if I hafta listen to one more Michael Jackson song, I'm gonna be forced to punch my fist through the stereo. No offense, but gah. If you wanna listen to ancient music, there's always the Backstreet Boys." He seems entirely oblivious to the scent of any Cold Ones, intent on rapidly thumb-typing. Phone Ethan Carver texts: Driving is so boring. Miss U so much. Twitter @Wildthing1: Trees trees trees mountain trees. #roadtripsux #ORsux #WAsuxmoar Standing just inside the treeline behind the K-9 bar, Jacob Black is downwind of the leeches' reek. He's also dressed only in a pair of loose shorts and some flip-flop sandals, quite ready to put his game face on and deal with things as only a "werewolf" can--but officially, he's holding back, officially waiting for word from Sam. But Jake is sick of waiting. Turning to Paul, he says, "Look, I'm goin' in there. You wolf out and keep in touch with the pack, and if they send you in or you hear me screwing it up, you can come in after me." He pops his neck, though, and flashes a huge, cocky grin. "But I got this." The truth is, and Paul would know it, that Jacob has been on edge ever since Jason left. And Paul, along with the pack, would also know why: Since imprinting, Jake's been going a bit nuts without his imprintee around. It's made him a bit too inclined to be reckless, especially as the days have worn on. So, without waiting for Paul's agreement, he turns and heads into the bar with a falsely casual air. What could go wrong? Paul is dressed the same... apparently nobody has heard of shirts in this place. Paul is itching a bit for a fight, rubbing his tattoo on his upper arm as he listens to Jacob's commands. He's leading the hunt, so he wears the pants in the group for the moment. Except when he's in werewolf form of course. "Fine, but we're talking about it later." Paul notes as he crouches for a moment and shifts out of his human form into a massive 4-legged wolf and then leaps over Jacob's head and heads off to circle the area as instructed. And well.... if he draws any Vamps his way then oh well. Paul breaks into a run and vanishes into the treeline, though his movement can still be heard by those with keen hearing. Jason Christopher's voice is tight, when he replies to Ethan. Paying no attention at all to his complaints. They had largely been the same for some time now. Ethan was a city boy, being brought to the country. He wouldn't truly be happy until he was on wifi again rather than tethered to Jason's phone. "Ethan. I want you to stay with the car. Do you hear me? When we get there. Stay with the damn car." As the speed increases, passing 100 mph even with the motorcycle being towed behind them, the scent grows stronger. A takes a corner and the car nearly edges onto two wheels. They were close now, damn close. There less than a mile away was the bar K9s. Jason could see someone walk inside, and a giant wolf leap into the woods. He had a sick, sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "FUCK! THIS FUCKING CAR IS TO SLOW!" Named for the owner the bar was the property of Kathy Wahalow. A member Makah tribe and the 9th child in her family. All of the children had a first initial of K. Thus when she opened the little roadside bar in a region known to harbor legends of giant wolves. K9s was just a natural. Now Kathy Wahalow is crouched down behind the bar praying to survive a nightmare. As Jacob Black walks in she shrieks for help, but then falls silent as they look up. There are five of them, spread admist a sea of carnage. A man sitting in the back of the room seems maybe 50, and gaunt, wearing a wide brimmed hat that makes him look like a creepy southern preacher from a horror story. A young girl in the corner looking far to pleased at the several bodies in front of her. Three in the center of the room, two men and a woman, all apparently in their late 20s or early 30s. Pool tables are flipped, and a couple of likely antique video game systems smashed. ALL of them have blazing red eyes. The man in the wide brimmed hat smiles brightly and spreads his arms wide. "Welcome child to your salvation!" The girl in the corners face screws up and she exhales forcfully. "Gahd, smells like he swam through a pine tree shit to get here. Kill that one fast." Ethan Carver looks up from his phone, dropping his feet to the floorboards. "What? Screw that. Been in this car for the last seventy hours, I need to stretch my legs. Whoa, dude! Don't you think you're going just a little fast? You're gonna rattle my bike right off the back. What's up?" He sits up a little straighter, narrowing his eyes and flaring his nostrils, trying to see or smell some hint of what seems to have Jason so agitated. Tucking away his phone, he unbuckles his seatbelt (because what could go wrong at 100+mph?). "No way I'm staying in the car." As Jacob steps inside, he flashes the cowering--and, truth be told, smart--bar owner a grin and a wink, kicking off his sandals and dropping his pants. Well, it's one way to make an entrance. (Don't worry, boys and girls, we're shooting this scene from behind. And waist-up. Mostly.) Holding up both hands, Jacob says, "Could I just make one quick point first?" And he phases. It's not the drawn-out, dramatic affair of a werewolf shifting like in certain other places. It's a quick blur of twisting motion, and suddenly where a handsome young man had stood, there's now a wolf that rivals a compact car in size. As for that point he wanted to make? You could call it a howl, but really it's more of a roar. And he's already moving, leaping to pounce on the nearest of the three Cold Ones in the center of the room with jaws snapping and terrible, crunching teeth flashing. Jacob Black lets out a piercing howl. The tires screech into the parking lot, and the scent of Cold Ones is utterly unmistakeable now. The reek is like a miasma in the air. Before the car is even fully stopped Jason slaps it in park, it shudders and rocks back and forth. Tha transmission squealing in protest at the unkind treatment. He is running for the bar already, reiterating what he had shouted before. "DAMMIT ETHAN STAY WITH THE FUCKING CAR!" But somehow knowing he would be utterly ignored. How was everything going so damn wrong so damn fast! WHY NOW! Why these god damned fucking mosquitoes again now! He tried desperately to cover the blossom of fear that knotted his guts. Cold Ones. They had killed his pack so so long ago. It was Jacob inside, he could smell him, and as he HOWL-ROARS, he can hear him. Inside alone with at least several of them. Jason full on sprints for the door, and right through it in his haste to get inside. The girl in the corner wolf whistles as Jacob strips, but it does on her lips a moment later. Jacob phases into his wolf form and the three vampires in the center of the room stumble backwards in shock. One of them is pounced on by Jacob, throwing up an arm to defend himself. Jacob's jaws crunch down on his stone like arm and it shatters under his jaw preasure! The vampire emits a high pitched shriek or horror and pain! But the other two lunge at Jacob seeking to beat him back off of the other member of their coven through sheer strength and speed. The man in the wide brimmed hat gestures to the giant wolf. "My dear if you would?" The girl stands up even as Kathy screams a warning. "WATCH OUT SHE KILLS YOU JUST! JUST LOOKING AT YOU!" The vampire smiles slowly and looks at Jacob. Then Jason is there, between them, and she blinks. With a grunt of pain he collapses to the floor onto one knee. Shaking, no trembling, and clearly in a lot of pain. Oh, hell no, Ethan is not staying with the damned car. Not after hearing a sound that's remarkably similar to an Alpha howl. He's thrown forward, bracing his hands against the dashboard, as the car screeches to a halt, wincing a bit as he feels the bones in his wrists crack. No matter, they'll be healed by the time he reaches the building. Still, the pain slows him just enough in groping open the car door that he's a good yard behind Jason as the man bursts into the bar, already shifting to his werewolf form. Ethan arrives just in time to see the Alpha Prince fall to one knee, and the overwhelming stench of death and the undead hits him. He races to Jason's side, falling to his knees as well. "What the hell is going on?" he demands, eyeing the dead-smelly girl. "What did you do?!" Ethan Carver phases to his werewolf form. The enormous wolf is buffeted back by vampiric blows, and from the meaty thuds of those impact, he's feeling the blows. However, he also just saw Jason appear and... go down. Jacob's variety of wolf doesn't do the glowing eyes. If they did, his would probably literally shoot flames, though, because suddenly the massive direwolf moves like it's swallowed a bolt of lightning, Twisting as if to duck down, it then lunges up underneath the pummeling fists of the female vampire beating on him to snap with deadly force at her neck, aiming to take her head right off. His snarl alone is enough to make the building tremble. Telepathy Jacob Black doesn't so much think words as project an absolute, berserker-rage level bloodlust. Well, vampire-smashing-lust, anyway. The face of the young-looking vampire girl hovers in his mind's eye, and his entire existence narrows down to a single point: tearing out her her throat. Jason Christopher is shaking violently, his breathing ragged, and his eyes are red like an autumn moon. As Ethan approaches him he says in a voice that is not his, and yet is. It is a voice of rage, and agony and suppressed emotions all bubbling up dangerously close to the surface. When he looks at Ethan, his face is twisted in a way that does NOT look like his previous transformation, lips pulled back and elongated teeth exposed. Then he closes his eyes and starts to force himself to breathe regularly even among the chaos. Staggering back to his feet, fists clenched at his sides. The pretty little vampire girl seems shocked. "What the actual hell are you? You should be DEAD! Why aren't you DEAD!" The man in the back bellows out loud "EVERYONE ATTACK!" Even as Jacob makes a lunge at the little death gaze vampire. She dances backwards and his jaws slam shut a scant inch from her face. One of the others had snagged his back leg, and tries to throw him for the wall, and likely through it given the construction of the building isn't rated for horse sized wolf impacts. The one armed vampire is looking at the ruination of his arm on the ground, in shattered pieces. Angry beyond reason he lunges at the first target he sees. Ethan Carver. He can't try and crush the teen wolf any more, sans a arm. So instead he super speed dashes at him, a blur of motion, and tries to shoulder tackle him to the ground. "Shift, man!" Ethan growls at Jason, jabbing a claw into the man's upper arm in an attempt to trigger him to both shift and begin healing. Pain triggers his own healing, so why not? His other hand gropes around the floor, finding a dropped, round serving tray, which he quickly flings Frisbee-style at the girl, just as Jacob lunges at her. Perhaps fortunately, the one-armed Leech slams full-force into Ethan just as he releases the tray, throwing his aim off just enough to avoiding hitting the enormous wolf. But then Ethan is flying in another direction, cursing under his breath as he crashes into the ruins of the jukebox. Blue eyes glowing, he lets out a howl of fury. Ethan Carver lets out a piercing howl. Jacob's wild lunge proves ill-advised--But then, when is bloodlust really all that well-planned?--and he's sent careening to one side to crunch into a wall, snapping several vital planks and leaving it cracked and weakened. He rebounds from it, though, to leap back into the center of the room. He's in such a frenzy now--and Jason is moving again--that all he seems to want is death to all the leeches. The one who grabbed him and threw him is the first target, as Jacob goes not for the throat, this time, but the hip. If he can tear off a leg, that should slow the bloodsucker down and give Jake room to move. Jason Christopher doesn't need to phase to heal, but right now he is trying hard NOT to phase. Not to phase in pain or anger. Because that would make this situation just so very much worse. For all the things he knows about the wolf. His own inner wolf still can run wild with pain and age he has long suppressed. Utterly and completely wild. He winces and growls as Ethan claws his arm, and then Ethan is gone. Tackled away by the stone like vampire. The growl reverberates through the room, as if the air itself was growling as well. He locks eyes with the pretty little girl again and she blinks, and blinks and blinks. And with each blink she looks more and more, afraid. She starts retreating back to the older man, who likewise retreats into the back offices. Jason stalks slowly towards them, his fingers twitching at his sides in aggitation. His clothes looking far to tight now. He walks into the offices as well, lost to view. The Vampire that attacked Ethan follows through and tackles him on the floor. His rancid death breath washing over Ethan's face as he lowers his jaws at the teen's throat. His skin is like marble, largely proof against his claws. It's strength and speed are superior to even the Kanima in it's beta form. Jacob is thrown into the wall, and rebounds quickly. The vampires were not prepared for the giant wolf to recover tat quickly. So it takes them by suprise, and costs one of them a leg! The vampire beats on Jacob's back but throws back it's head with a keening screach as it's leg shatters in Jacob's jaws! The remaining female sees two crippled vampires and the other two having left, and she bolts for the door! "Aw, hell no!" Ethan snarls as the cold, dead thing sinks fangs into his flesh. He's seen enough vampire movies to know that letting them bite is a very bad idea. Since his claws don't seem to be having much effect on the creature's skin, he balls his fists and slams both at once against the back of the thing's neck. Where the hell is Aiden when he's needed? Ethan isn't used to fighting alone. At all. He strikes again and again, trying to break the vampire's neck enough to possibly tear the thing's head off. From the snapping sounds that ensue with the vampire's fists, Jacob's at least cracked a couple of ribs. He doesn't slow down, though, driven by a rage that transcends anything even in the remotest vicinity of "rational." He whirls on the remaining vampire--the fleeing female--and leaps at her, aiming to take her down with his massive, clawed front paws and then bite down to finally sever the leech-bitch's neck and put her down, so he can get to Jason's side. Ethan is left to his own devices, either trusted to handle himself... or just less important. Jacob Black says, "Poor Ethan." Ethan Carver says, "Movies lied to me! Vampires aren't pretty boys with bad Eighties hair and worse Eighties fashions and an unnatural obsession with the the Doors. If I survive this, I am so hunting down Joel Schumacher and kicking his lying butt all over Hollywood." The vampire's venom BURNS its way into Ethan's veins. It is like his blood is on fire, has turned into molten lava where the vampire bites him. His lycanthropy will keep him alive, that one simple bite would have spread and killed a human. But the venom is cripplingly painful. Ethan's punches slowing the beast, but its jaws descending relentlessly to Ethan's throat. The thing is JUST too strong! And these are the things that will come to Beacon Hills. In force. Trained to actually kill, as opposed to some random vampire with just one remaining arm. The female vampire makes it through the door, as Jacob bounds after her. He is faster than she is, and is on top of her before she makes it to the car. His massive jaws clamp on the back of her neck, and in one sickening crunch her head rolls to the front tire of the car. Inside the venom is taking a toll on Ethan. If that vampire bites his throat...There is the sound of a wall breaking in the office. The older male vampire flies through the room and skids to a stop at the front door. He looks, poor, but is trying to get to his feet. The vampire on top of Ethan is yanked away as the massive form of Jason's man wolf shape launches into the room. With a roar he literally bites its head off and throws the corpse across the room. From outside, Jacob Black sees the older vampire start out the door. Then a massive clawed hand snags it, and lifts it bodily into the air. With a horrifying roar the vampire is twisted. With a sound like two bounders grinding together, it snaps in half, and the two pieces are thrown contemptuously away. Jason Christopher of the House of Lupus throws back his head and howls, long and mournfully. It is all gone now. All of his secrets. All of his manipulations. All gone. Phasing back to his human phase, he walks naked back to check on Ethan. Kicking the legless vampire with a snarl as he walks by. Ethan Carver gasps for breath as the horrid thing is finally ripped from him, and he immediately begins clawing at his own throat, as though attempting to dig the venom out of his flesh. At least he's not paralyzed, though he is finding it hard to do much more than lay there on the floor, his clawing growing increasingly weaker as venom and blood loss begin to take their toll. The enormous wolf leaps back into the room through the front door, looking around wildly, just in time to see the enormous man-wolf phase back down into Jason's shape. This is enough to cut through the blinding rage. This is enough to send the wolf back a step in sheer surprise, even to send him shifting back into human form so that he ends up crouching naked beside the one-legged vampire, the paw that had been coming down to slash at his throat instead becoming a hand that slams its head to the ground, squeezing hard. This changes everything. But first, to practicalities. "Are you all right?" Jacob asks Jason, and then, looking to Ethan, "Will he live?" He doesn't ask after the smaller female vampire. Either Jason got her, or he'll know otherwise soon enough. For now, the enemy is defeated--and the pack is what matters. For Jacob, that includes Jason. And Jason's groupie, well... he counts. More or less. For now. Jason Christopher kneels at Ethan's side and looks at the injury. He holds up a finger to Jacob and sprints out the door, and grabs his backpack from the car, rifling through it as he sprints back inside. He pulls out a small jar and leans at Ethan's side. Spreading a foul smelling salve across the injury, the venom's burn starts to diminish immediately. Ethan's healing able to start again. "Jason just rocks back onto his haunches as Kathy peeks out over the bar. To terrified as yet to move. "Ethan will be alright now..." He can't even LOOK at Jacob right now. He knows what he saw. He knows what it means. The entire pack knows now, or will soon enough. It is all over, everything is finally and completely up in flames.